comstock] EVERGREENS 7 



New Jersey to North Carolina. Both are slender trees usually not 

 more than forty to sixty feet in height ; both have the leaves 

 arranged two in a sheath, but the Jersey scrub grows in sandy soil 

 along the coast, while the table-mountain grows in the forests in the 

 regions of the Alleghanies. The cones of the table-mountain pine 

 are four or five inches long, while those of the Jersey scrub are rarely 

 more than two and a half inches in length. 



The species most common in our southern states are the yellow or 

 spruce pine, the long-leaved or Georgia pine, and the loblolly or old- 

 field pine ; all of them grow on sandy soil and form scattering 

 forests. The yellow pine is readily distinguished from the other two 

 because its leaves are three to five inches in length ; the yellow pine 

 also has its leaves arranged two in a sheath. Both the loblolly and 

 the long-leaved pines have very long leaves, those of the loblolly 

 being from six to ten inches long and those of the long-leaved from 

 ten to sixteen inches in length. The leaves of these pines are 

 arranged in threes, but the cones of the long-leaved pines are at or 

 near the ends of the branches, while the cones of the loblolly are 

 along the sides of the branches. 



Two European species very commonly planted in our parks and 

 grounds are the Austrian and the Scotch pines. The Austrian 

 has long, stiff leaves and is a handsome tree which resembles our 

 native red pine, except that its leaves are more pointed, much less 

 flexible and larger in diameter. It is hardy in this climate, and 

 since it is so generally planted in parks and grounds, it affords a fine 

 opportunity to the study of the flowers and pollination during the 

 last of May or early June. The Scotch pine has such short, flat 

 leaves that it has been miscalled Scotch fir. Its leaves scarcely ever 

 exceed two inches in length, and are broad, flat and flexible. 



Lesson on any Pine i?i your Locality — What is the general shape of the tree, and 

 where does it grow? What is the shape of the cone? What is the character of 

 its bark? How long are the needles, and how do they compare on length and 

 thickness with any other species of pine in your locality? How many needles 

 grow together in a bundle? Is this bundle enclosed in a little sheath at the 

 base? (In the white pine the sheath drops off very soon.^ Are these bundles 

 grouped in distinct tassels, if so, how many constitute a tassel? What shade of 

 green is the general color of the foliage? Cut a pine needle in two and look at 

 the end with a lens, and note its shape. The white pine differs decidedly from 

 others in this particular. How can you tell this year's from the last year's and 

 from next year's cones? How old is the cone when it opens and scatters its 

 seed? How many seeds are there under a single cone scale? How many kinds 

 of flowers does the pine tree have and where are they borne? How is the pollen 



